Wellens’s Orient look to build on Bradford clean sheet as Blackpool visit Brisbane Road
Thursday 15 October 2026 · By Danny Whitlock
Leyton Orient return to Brisbane Road on Saturday (15:00) looking to build on last weekend’s 0–0 draw at Bradford City. Richie Wellens’ side face Blackpool, who will have their captain back after a successful appeal.
The goalless draw at Valley Parade was an encouraging result. Bradford are second in League One, and Orient kept them out in front of 18,884, with Wellens joking afterwards that his goalkeeper had not had a save to make.
Home form has been a recurring theme for Orient. In September, BBC Sport reported that Wellens was “concerned” by his side’s record at Brisbane Road, and Saturday is a chance to give supporters a positive afternoon.
Orient are 12th on 11 points from nine games. They have won three, drawn two and lost four, and a positive goal difference of plus two shows they have been competitive in most matches.
Jaze Kabia has been one of the bright spots. The forward was shortlisted for League One’s Player of the Month award for September, which was won by Reading’s Jack Marriott.
Saturday’s visitors arrive with a boost. Blackpool captain George Honeyman was sent off against Cambridge United last weekend, but the Football Association has overturned the red card on appeal, according to BBC Sport, so he is available. Ian Evatt’s side are five league games without a win.
Orient’s home game against Mansfield Town, postponed on 26 September, still has no new date.
After Blackpool, Orient travel to Reading on Wednesday 21 October (20:00), facing the division’s top scorers. A trip to Burton Albion follows on Saturday 24 October, before Cambridge United visit Brisbane Road on Saturday 31 October.
The goalless draw at Valley Parade, in front of 18,884, gave Orient a clean sheet to build on as they try to improve at home.
The clean sheet at Bradford showed what Orient can do defensively. Turning that into a home win against Blackpool would be the ideal next step.
Brisbane Road, still the name most travelling supporters use whatever the current sponsorship title, has been Leyton Orient’s home since 1937. It sits in Leyton, East London, with a compact all-seated capacity of about 9,271. Four stands wrap a tight pitch, and apartment blocks fill the corners. That unusual layout keeps noise in and gives the ground a distinct look you will not find at many League One venues.
Getting there is straightforward. Leyton on the Central line is the usual route and is roughly a ten-minute walk. Leyton Midland Road on the Overground is an alternative. There is no public matchday parking at the stadium and local restrictions are enforced, so public transport is the sensible option. Away coaches and turnstiles are at the south-east corner by the East Stand. Gates typically open around ninety minutes before kick-off; check your ticket for the exact entrance, usually C or D for visitors.
Away fans are housed in the southern section of the East Stand, towards the Tommy Johnston end rather than behind a goal. The allocation is often around 1,000 and can rise for bigger fixtures, occasionally taking more of the East Stand. The stand is the oldest at the ground, bought from Mitcham Stadium in the 1950s, and it still has a couple of supporting pillars. Sit a few rows back from the front if you can, as the roof does not fully cover the first seats. Legroom is fair; the seats themselves are basic.
Opposite you is the Justin Edinburgh Stand, the modern main stand on the west side. It holds the tunnel, dugouts, offices, shop and ticket office. Behind the north goal is the Community Stand, used as a family end. Behind the south goal is the Tommy Johnston Stand, named after Orient’s record scorer and usually the louder home end. Orient often attack that way in the second half. The pitch is close to the seats all the way around, so even a side-on away view feels intimate.
Stewarding is generally relaxed and the atmosphere is competitive without being hostile on ordinary league days. Food inside includes standard matchday fare and the occasional East End pie and mash. Cashless payments are widely used. Bags are subject to a typical EFL search; travel light. There is little dedicated away hospitality, so eat and drink in Leyton High Road or around the station before you arrive if you want a proper pint. A few locals are used to visiting colours; keep it civil and you will be fine.
Tickets are best bought in advance through your own club or Orient’s site. Prices move with category and stand, but an adult away seat is usually in the mid-to-high twenties or low thirties. Disabled access and companion seats exist in the East Stand south; contact both clubs early if you need them. After the final whistle the walk back to Leyton station is short and well used. Brisbane Road is small, slightly awkward and easy to like. Arrive early, find your block in the south-east corner, and you will have a proper lower-league afternoon in East London.